Click on a lifeboat number below to find out more.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | collapsibles
The lists of survivors and victims in lifeboats is incomplete and welcomes contributions.
Lusitania carried life boats and rafts sufficient to accommodate 2,605 persons. These included:
- 22 life boats which carried 68 persons each
- 20 Chambers collapsible boats carrying 54 each
- 12 McLean-Chambers collapsible boats with a capacity of 49 each
- 2 Henderson collapsible boats, carrying 43 each
- 14 life rafts, with capacities varying from 20 to 40 each.
Lusitania also carried nearly 3,000 life preservers on board. According to the New York Times, Tuesday, 11 May 1915, “The life-saving apparatus is examined before every voyage in Liverpool by the Board of Trade officials when the boats are lowered into the water and the life jackets placed on deck for inspection.”
A number of lifeboats upset while lowering, some lifeboats were never launched, and many survivors managed to be saved without ever having boarded a lifeboat. Only lifeboats 1, 11, 13, 15, 19, and 21, all from the starboard side, were safely launched. Lifeboat 2 and a number of collapsible rafts were swept off the ship as Lusitania sank and provided refuge for some. Lifeboat 14 was the only lifeboat launched from the port side, but the lack of a plug on the bottom of that boat caused the lifeboat to fill with water and swamp.
Therefore, entry into a lifeboat did not guarantee survival, and not being in a lifeboat did not necessarily doom a potential survivor. Furthermore, the presence of several rescue vessels complicates recordkeeping of who was in which lifeboat.
was my great grand dad on that ship
I remember I read a book in High School on the Lusitania which explained in greater detail what had happened with the lifeboats.
On the Starboard side, Lifeboat 5 had been blown off its davits by the spray from the torpedo impact, and the officers in charge of loading and lowering the starboard boats made an attempt to do so consecutively forward to aft. Boats 1 and 3 both overturned during launch, spilling their occupants into the water. Somehow, however, Lifeboat 1 managed to reach the water intact and upright, but empty, and later filled with people who had jumped into the water.
Lifeboat 7 was overturned and crushed beneath the ship’s hull, while both Lifeboats 9 and 11 made it clear of the Lusitania, each with only 20 or 30 people aboard. Both these boats, once clear of the sinking liner, picked up dozens of swimmers from the water until they were both fully loaded.
Lifeboats 13 and 15, in an instance almost directly cast from the sinking of the Titanic, were both launched overloaded with roughly 70 people, considered more of a miracle in this case considering the manner in which the Lusitania had sunk and the perilous descent these boats had to make. Lifeboats 17 and 19 both overturned on their way to the water, in one of which cases the lines from the davits snapped while the lifeboat was a considerable distance from the water. Finally, Lifeboat 21, located atop the Second Class promenade, was launched safely fully loaded and cleared the ship only moments before the Lusitania sank.
As for the remaining lifeboats, most were crushed and splintered in attempts to launch them from the tilting decks. On the starboard side, many lifeboats snagged on their davits and buckled under the weight of their occupants, while on the port side, the perilous list caused many boats to either break loose from their davits and go tumbling down the boat deck, or to be splintered to pieces as they ground against the port side of the Lusitania’s hull. Of all the standard lifeboats on the port side, Lifeboat 14 was the only boat to reach the water intact, although damaged. As for the collapsible lifeboats, several floated free of the ship as she sank. Most were waterlogged or overturned, while the few which miraculously survived the sinking upright and intact filled very quickly.
On the port side passengers were ordered out of the boats about 5 minutes past the explosions due to three boats having launch mishaps. Survivors remembered milling around waiting for instructions that never came. No survivors including Charles Lauriat [who later wrote a book] mentioned any boats sliding down the sloping deck. This was told much later and repeated. A lot of Colin Simpson’s narrative never happened. [‘Lest we Forget” by Jim Kalafus, et al. and Conspiracies at Sea [ch.10] by J. Kent Layton.]
the fate of #5 is strong evidence that the torpedo hit by or aft of the 1st funnel and nowhere near the the cargo spaces. Thomas Quin was posted in the crows nest and gave strong evidence which supported this. He would state that the lifeboat was “blown to atoms.” an upwards blast would achieve this rather than falling water.
source: Conspiracies at Sea; Titanic and Lusitania. J. Kent Layton. 2016. chapter 10, pp. 215-223.
My Grandmother’s book speaks about the life boats and the people on hers. ..I will really have to dig out that book…. she also talks of her roommates…. hum. .. will have to check later. … my grandmother was Phoebe Amory.
http://unwritten-record.blogs.archives.gov/2015/05/05/impending-disaster-footage-of-the-lusitanias-departure-from-new-york/
lifeboat 4 started to be lowered on the port side but it crashed onto the deck killing many
The Lifeboats
Lifeboat 1 managed to reach the water upright but empty so many people climbed in
Lifeboat 2 was washed off the deck so people climbed in
Lifeboat 3 was lowered but they lost control of her and she tumbled into the water
Lifeboat 4’s chains snapped when people crowded in and she crashed down the decks killing many and into the water.
Lifeboat 5 was blown off the deck by the torpedo spray and fell into the water
Lifeboat 6’s chains snapped and it fell into the water.
Lifeboat 7 overturned when it was being lowered and was crushed beneath the ship’s hull
Lifeboat 8’s chains snapped and it fell into the water. Like 4 and 6 this was due to the list.
Lifeboat 9 made it off the ship with 20 or 30 aboard. However it picked up survivors until it was fully loaded.
Lifeboat 10’s chains snapped when people climbed in. The boat swayed dangerously and this caused it to fall.
Lifeboat 11 reached the water safely and filled up until it was full.
Lifeboat 12 fell into the water when people tried to board it and landed upside down.
Lifeboat 13 made it down with about 70 people aboard.
Lifeboat 14 was the only port side boat to make it down. However the lack of the plug caused it to fill with water.
Lifeboat 15 was the last boat to leave intact. It was launched with over 80 people.
Lifeboat 16 was either not used or was splintered during the launching.
Lifeboat 17 overturned on its way down and landed on its passengers killing many.
Lifeboat 18 was either not used or was crushed by the hull.
Lifeboat 19 overturned during the launching.
Lifeboat 20 was either not used or was crushed by the hull.
Lifeboat 21 made it to the water moments before the ship sank. It was fully loaded.
Lifeboat 22 was either not used or was crushed by the hull.
I read a book recently and it explained a bit about lifeboats 10,12,18 and 20.
lifeboat 10 spilled its people into the water when seamen lost control of the ropes.
lifeboat 12 also spilled its people into the water and then landed on top of the people.
lifeboat 18 was loaded with sixty people. But the ship then gave an awful lurch and swung inwards crushing people.
lifeboat 20 started to be lowered but a seaman lost his head and let go of the ropes. It then tipped all of its passengers into the water.
Lifeboat 2 was flushed off the ship as she went down, life boat 10 was filled and lowered by a foot or two before Staff Captain Anderson orders the people out (it is unknown of that fate of lifeboat 10 and its occupants) and life boat 14 was launched but was missing a bung (watertight plug at the bottom), which caused the boat to fill with water and it capsized in almost the exact same spot it was lowered in.
Lifeboat 1 was filled with about 60 women besides a few male passengers and crew. It reached the water safely, but the women in the boat did not want to leave the ship. They held onto the railing which was by this time nearly touching the water. The davits pressed on the boat, tipping it inward and spilling most of the women into the water. Two sailors and a few women managed to remain in the boat.
Lifeboat 3 was filled with passengers. While launching, the ropes holding one side up jammed, and the the side dropped. The boat hung straight down and everyone fell into the sea.
Lifeboat 5 was blown to pieces by the powerful torpedo explosion.
Lifeboat 7 was filled with women and children and safely lowered. Before the crew could cut the ropes, the davits tipped it toward the ship’s hull and dragged it underwater.
Lifeboat 9 was filled with about 60 people who had to jump the gap of seven feet from the deck to the boat. It was lowered to the water and drifted under lifeboat 11, which was being lowered by inexperienced stewards. Lifeboat 11 crashed on top of 9, killing or injuring almost everyone onboard.
Lifeboat 11 was filled with women and children and launched by inexperienced crew members. It tipped everyone out and landed onto lifeboat 9. it was then hauled back up and launched successfully.
Lifeboat 13 was filled with women and children and lowered safely.
Lifeboat 15 was filled with women and children and lowered safely.
Lifeboat 17 was filled with passengers and was being lowered when a crew member lost control of the ropes and the boat tipped everyone into the water, afterwards landing on top of them.
Lifeboat 19 was launched safely.
Lifeboat 21 was launched safely with 54 onboard.
Lifeboat 2 was filled with passengers. When they tried to launch it, it swung in and went skidding down the deck. It jammed right under the bridge. It was washed off when the ship sank.
Lifeboat 4 swung inward and was never launched.
Lifeboat 6 was being lowered when the crewmen lost control and the boat dropped 70 feet into the water.
Lifeboat 8 was filled with passengers. While being lowered, one side jerked down too fast. That side hit the water hard, damaging it severely. Most of the passengers or crew had jumped out or fallen out by now. Several however, tried to climb back into the boat.
Lifeboat 10 was filled with women, but was never launched due to the captain’s orders.
Lifeboat 12 was filled with passengers, but the ropes broke and it fell into the water.
Lifeboat 14 was filled with people and lowered safely, it had no plug, this caused it to fill with water and capsize 4-6 times.
Lifeboat 16 was never launched.
Lifeboat 18 was filled with women and children but swung in, crushing people. When the crew tried again to launch it, it tipped everyone out.
Lifeboat 20 was filled with women and children, but while being lowered, one crewman lost his grip on the rope and his side dropped down, while the other side held. Everyone fell out into the sea.
Lifeboat 22 capsized when it reached the water.
I have an original hard cover Charles Lauriat book from October 1915 so I thought I’d get it out and read it as I’ve started making a model of the Lusitania.His account is that from where he was standing on the forward port deck it looked like the torpedo hit between no.s 2 and 3 funnels as this was where the debris was thrown into the air but was most likely at No. 4 funnel considering the angle he was looking down the deck.